France

Recipes

1 GEOGRAPHIC SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT

France is the second-largest country in Europe (after Russia). Much of the
country is surrounded by mountains. The highest mountain, Mount Blanc, is
near France's border with Italy. The climate and soil of France
create good conditions for farming. Although only four percent of the
French people earn their living from farming, the country is
self-sufficient when it comes to growing its own food.

2 HISTORY AND FOOD

The French have always been proud of their sophisticated way of cooking.
Fertile soil provides fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, and meat,
nearly year-round. The soil is also suitable for growing grapes, which are
used for making some of the finest wines in the world. Food and alcohol
play important roles in French society—the way a person eats often
reflects their French heritage, region of birth, social status, and
health.

During the reign of Louis XIV (1661–1715), the nobility (upper
class citizens) would hold twelve-hour feasts with over ten different
dishes served. The presentation of the food was just as important as the
taste and quality of the ingredients. Such elaborate feasts were too
expensive and required too much time for the common people to prepare for
themselves, but others were also able to enjoy exotic foods and spices,
such as the kumquat fruit and yellow saffron, brought back from Africa and
Asia by explorers. These foods were quickly incorporated into the French
diet.

3 FOODS OF THE FRENCH

The baguette, a long, thin loaf of crusty bread, is the most important
part of any French meal. Everyone at the table is expected to eat a piece.
It is eaten in a variety of ways, including being used to make

sandwiches. Melted cheese spread on a baguette is often presented as part
of a meal. A meal of grilled food (called
la raclette
) is sometimes served. Using an open grill, diners melt their own cheese
with ham or beef slices, or fry their own egg. The grilled food is
accompanied by potatoes. Sometimes diners spear pieces of bread on
long-handled forks, and dip the bread into a pot full of melted cheese
called
la fondue
.

The regions of France have varying cuisine: in Brittany (northwestern
France), the main dish is
crêpes
(thin pancakes) with cider; and in the Alsace region (eastern France near
Germany), a popular dish is cabbage with pieces of sausage, called
la choucroute
. The French from the Loire River Valley eat a special dish made of the
Lotte fish that can only be found in the Loire River. On the coasts of
France seafood is plentiful, including mussels, clams, oysters, shrimp,
and squid. The French enjoy
escargots
(snails) cooked with garlic and butter, roast duck, and rabbit.

Baguette (French Bread)

Ingredients

1 package dry yeast

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

2½ cups warm water

7 cups flour

Egg white, lightly beaten

Procedure

Grease two cookie sheets.

Dissolve the yeast, salt, and sugar in water in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the flour until a stiff dough forms. Turn the dough onto a
floured surface (countertop or cutting board) and knead for 10 minutes.

Clean out the mixing bowl, lightly oil it, and return the dough to the
bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in
size, ½ hour or so.

Dip your fist in flour and push your fist into the center of the dough
to "punch" it down. Remove from the bowl, and knead 3 or 4
more times.

Separate the dough into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a long
loaf. Place 2 on each of the greased cookie sheets.

Carefully slash the top diagonally every few inches with a knife.

Brush the loaves with the egg white. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and
let the loaves rise again for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake loaves for 10 minutes.

Lower heat to 350°F and bake 20 more minutes.

Baguette Sandwich

Ingredients

1 small baguette (purchased or freshly baked; see recipe above)

Cheese (may be soft cheese, such as Brie, or hard cheese, such as Gouda)

Ham

Tomato

Leaf lettuce

Mayonnaise or mustard

Cornichons (tiny sweet French pickles)

Procedure

Slice the baguette in half lengthwise.

Spread one half with mayonnaise or mustard, depending on preference.

Arrange sliced cheese and ham over the mayonnaise.

Slice the sweet pickles in half, and arrange on ham.

Top with sliced tomato and lettuce.

Wrap in plastic wrap and carry for lunch away from home.

Serves 1 or 2.

A uniquely French accent to the filling of the Baguette Sandwich are
the cornichons (French pickles).

EPD Photos

Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée (Onion Soup)

Ingredients

½ pound onions, cut into thin slices

3 ounces Swiss cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon butter

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup white wine (optional) or water

1 Tablespoon flour

1 beef bouillon cube and a dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)

3 cups water

Four ¾-inch thick slices of bread, cut from a baguette

Salt and pepper

Procedure

Melt the butter and olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat and add
the onions.

Brown the onions for about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour on onions and stir until dissolved, heating 5 more
minutes.

Add the wine (if desired) and the water.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the bouillon cube and dash of Worcestershire sauce (if desired).

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour soup into bowls. Float a slice of bread in each bowl.

Top the hot soup with cheese.

Serves 4.

Croque-Monsieur (Ham and Cheese Sandwich)

Ingredients

1 loaf (12 slices) of sandwich bread

8 slices of ham

8 slices of Swiss cheese

Swiss cheese, grated

1 cup milk

1 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place a slice of ham and a slice of cheese between two pieces of bread;
repeat this step on the same sandwich to make a triple-decker sandwich.

Repeat to make 4 sandwiches in all. Arrange the sandwiches in a baking
dish.

Make the béchamel:
Combine the flour, milk, butter, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Heat
over low heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until the flour
has completely dissolved.

Pour the
béchamel
(white sauce) mixture over the sandwiches and top with the grated Swiss
cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and crusty.

Serve on 4 plates. Cut sandwiches into halves or quarters.

Serves 4.

These triple-decker croque-monsieurs (ham and cheese sandwiches)
will be covered with a creamy sauce and topped with shredded Swiss
cheese before baking.

EPD Photos

Quiche au Saumon et Crevettes (Salmon and Shrimp Quiche)

Ingredients

1 prepared pie crust

4 small pieces of smoked salmon

1 small can of little shrimp

Swiss cheese, grated

½ cup sour cream

3 eggs

Salt and pepper

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat the eggs until light and fluffy.

Add the sour cream and cheese to the eggs and beat again.

Poke holes in the bottom of the pie crust with a fork.

Cover the bottom of the crust with the salmon. Arrange the shrimp evenly
on top of salmon.

Pour the egg mixture over the seafood. Bake for 25 minutes.

Cut pie into quarters and serve hot with a salad and crusty bread.

Serves 4.

Mousse au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse)

Packaged instant chocolate mousse mix, simpler to prepare than this
traditional recipe, is available at most grocery stores and may be
substituted.

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened cooking chocolate

4 eggs, separated

½ cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

Pinch of salt

Raspberries, strawberries, and ladyfinger cookies as accompaniment

Procedure

Melt the chocolate over low heat in a saucepan.

Remove from heat, add cream and allow mixture to cool.

Separate egg whites from the yolks.

Add sugar to the yolks and mix well.

Add yolk mixture to chocolate in the saucepan.

Add a pinch of salt to egg whites, then beat with an electric mixer
until stiff.

Stir egg whites gently into chocolate mixture and let cool in the
refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

To serve, arrange ladyfinger cookies vertically around the mousse.

Arrange fresh fruit such as strawberries or raspberries on top. Serve
chilled.

Serves 2 to 4.

4 FOOD FOR RELIGIOUS AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

Major French holidays include Christmas (December 25), New Year's
Day (January 1), and Bastille Day (July 14). On Bastille Day, named for
the prison that citizens stormed on July 14, 1789, the French celebrate
their liberation (freedom) from the monarchy and the beginning of their
Republic. There are fireworks, dances, and parties with picnics. Picnics
almost always include fromage (cheese), such as Camembert, brie, chevre
(goat's milk cheese), or Roquefort.

Procedure

Line the basket with a napkin (
serviette
in French), and fill it with crackers or the bread, sliced into thin
rounds.

Diners will use the knife to cut their own individual slices of cheese.
Serve at room temperature.

Serves 12 or more.

For Christmas, the French have large feasts with many courses, which
usually end with a
Bûche de Noël,
or Yule log. This cake is shaped to look like a log of wood because of
the traditional French custom of lighting a real log at Christmas. On the
first Sunday of January, the Christian holiday, Epiphany, is celebrated,
marking the three kings' visit to the newborn baby Jesus. For this
occasion, a special dessert called
la galette des rois,
is prepared. A small token, either a bean or porcelain toy, is baked
inside. Whoever finds the hidden bean or porcelain toy in their piece gets
to be king or queen for the day and wear a golden crown. Traditionally,
the king (the man who found the bean in his piece of cake) had to pick a
queen and present her with a gift. To avoid this obligation, the
"king" would sometimes eat the evidence. To solve this
problem, in 1874 French bakers began putting collectible porcelain charms
in their cakes instead of beans.

Procedure

Grease a jelly-roll pan (cookie sheet with a rim all around) and line
the bottom with waxed paper. Grease the waxed paper well.

Beat the eggs until frothy and pale yellow in a large mixing bowl.

Add the sugar and water to the eggs and continue to beat.

Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

Add the flour mixture to egg mixture.

Add the vanilla and almond extract.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. (Toothpick inserted into the center should come out
clean. Do not overbake.)

Remove from oven. Cover pan with a clean dishtowel, and turn over to
remove cake from pan. Remove pan and carefully peel off the wax paper.
(Cake is wrong-side up.) Trim off any crusty edges.

Fold one end of towel over short end of cake, and carefully roll cake up
inside the towel.

Lift the whole roll and place it, seam side down on a cooling rack.

Allow to cool completely. Unroll carefully.

Coat the cake completely with jelly.

Carefully roll the cake back up again, without the towel.

Cut a 2-inch slice from one end and cut in half.

Attach these pieces to the sides of the cake to resemble branch stubs on
a log.

Frost the cake "log" with chocolate icing. Drag a fork
along the length of the cake, scoring the frosting to resemble bark.

Arrange holly berries and evergreen leaves around the cake if desired.

Serves 12 or more.

La Galette des Rois (King's Cake)

1¼ pounds puff pastry (available in the frozen foods section of the
supermarket)

1 dry bean (such as a dried kidney bean or navy bean)

2 eggs

7 ounces almond paste

Paper crown for decoration

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Grease a cookie sheet.

Roll out pastry an 8-inch round.

Mix 1 egg with the almond paste until smooth and spread evenly onto the
pastry.

Place the bean anywhere on the filling.

Roll out another 8-inch piece of pastry and place it over the almond
filling. Press the edges together firmly to seal. Score the top layer
lightly with a sharp knife.

Beat the other egg lightly and gently brush over the top layer.

Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 400°F, and bake for another
25 minutes.

Serve warm, with the crown on top.

Serves 8. The person who finds the bean is designated as the queen or
king.

5 MEALTIME CUSTOMS

When entertaining at home, the hosts pride themselves on making mealtime a
memorable and positive experience. For everyday lunches and dinners, four
courses are typically served: salad, main dish with meat, cheese with
bread, and dessert. Bread and water are always served. Special occasions
include even more courses such as an appetizer of savory pastries, or
other finger foods. This is normally served with an alcoholic beverage,
often French wine. Several bottles of wine may be served with the meal.
Coffee is also served.

Restaurants in France are generally more formal than those in the United
States. It is expected that patrons are there to have a full meal. Wine is
ordered by the half or full carafe (a glass container). Waiters are rarely
tipped because a fee for service is added to
the bill for the meal. Eating out is a social occasion, and is a
leisurely activity. It is considered rude to ask to have leftover food
wrapped to be taken home. Several fast food restaurants such as Quick (a
French version of McDonald's), and Pizza Hut are available.
Sidewalk vendors and cafés or local
boulangeries
(bakeries) also offer quick.

The typical eating habits of the French include three meals a day, with
tea served at 4 p.m. Breakfast often includes a fresh baguette and buttery
croissants, sometimes filled with chocolate or almond paste. Coffee,
café, is usually very strong; café au lait is coffee served with
hot milk. Fresh fruit and yogurt are also common at breakfast. Lunch is
the main meal of the day and takes more time to eat than the typical lunch
in the United States. For this reason, many businesses are closed between
12 noon and 2 p.m. A school lunch might consist of a baguette filled with
cheese, butter, meat, lettuce, and tomato. Dinner usually takes place
after eight at night.

6 POLITICS, ECONOMICS, AND NUTRITION

The diet of the French people is generally considered healthy, and most
citizens receive adequate nutrition. In 2001 the countries of Europe
experienced outbreaks of two diseases, "mad cow disease" and
"hoof and mouth disease" that affected the cattle and sheep
herds. Many countries enacted laws and regulations restricting the import
and export of meat during that period, until the diseases could be brought
under control. In France, there have been protests at some fast food
restaurants in an attempt to drive them out of the country to keep the
traditional quality of French food and the French lifestyle.

7 FURTHER STUDY

Books

Denny, Roz.
A Taste of France.
New York: Thompson Learning, 1994.

Fisher, Teresa.
France.
Austin: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1999.

Langer, William L.
An Encyclopedia of World History
. 5
th
ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1980.

Films

Babette's Feast.
Rated G. (1987) This film is set in France in the late 1800s. During an
uprising, a French chef named Babette is exiled to Denmark where she
becomes maid and cook for two sisters. Babette spends years making simple
meals for the sisters until one day she wins the French lottery. Babette
uses her winnings to prepare an extravagant seven-course French meal for
the sisters and ten other community members. The film depicts the lavish
feast in detail, including the food preparation and consumption.